1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an athletic training device and, more particularly, to a tennis training device for suspending a tennis ball for use in improving a user's tennis swing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art to provide various types of tethered ball training devices. Volley balls “tethered” by rope to a pole are used in association with a variety of games. Similarly, golf balls connected to a support can be used to aid in improving a golf swing. One drawback associated with these prior art devices, however, is the inability to experience accurate follow through after the user has contacted the ball. With the rope, string or other retainer connected directly to the ball, after the user contacts the ball, the ball moves in a direction dictated by the retainer, rather than in a true direction dictated by the impact provided by the user.
An additional drawback associated with such prior art training devices is the tendency of the retaining device, represented by either a rope, string or similar object, impeding the user's stroke. It would, therefore, be desirable to reduce deviation of the user's stroke associated with the retainer and to prevent the retainer from impeding the user's stroke.
Still another drawback associated with prior art devices is the inability to simulate strokes of various heights. For baseball training devices, it is not necessary to simulate many swings outside of the batter's box. Similarly, in golf it is not necessary to simulate strokes much above the ground. In tennis, however, it would be desirable to replicate strokes from very near the ground to above the user's head. It would additionally be desirable to replicate a serving stroke which may be a meter or more above the user's head. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a training device which could be readily adapted to replicate a plurality of stroke heights from those near the ground to those substantially above the user's head.
An additional drawback associated with prior art training devices is the difficulty in practicing top spin, back spin and slice shots. Practicing tennis shots typically involves either the user bouncing a ball or returning a ball from a machine or coach. The speed with which a player has to react to such a dynamic training scenario makes it difficult to focus on applying torque to the ball during the stroke. Additionally, such prior art teaching systems often apply a spin to the ball, making it difficult to determine whether it is the user's torque or the existing spin affecting the ball as it leaves the user's racket. It would therefore be desirable to provide a tennis ball in a type of “suspended animation” in a manner which allows the ball to be provided without existing spin to not only give the user more time to concentrate on applying torque to the ball, but also to assess the affect of applying torque to the ball without the interference of a pre-existing spin.
Still another drawback associated with the prior art is the requirement of a heavy, bulky training device which is not easily relocated from one position to another. It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a lightweight portable device which may be easily compacted and moved to various locations. Based on the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a lightweight portable athletic training device which is easily adjustable to simulate strokes from near the ground to above a user's head, and which provides more accurate feedback relative to a stroke after contact with the ball is made. The difficulties encountered in the prior art discussed hereinabove are substantially eliminated by the present invention.